Friday, June 11, 2010

The Magic of Mermaids

by
Tera Childs

*** WINNER UPDATE: The contest is now closed. After tallying up the total number of entries (over 200!) and heading over to Randomizer, the winner is... Angel! Send your mailing info to tlc@teralynnchilds.com so I can get your prize in the mail. Thanks to everyone for the wonderful mermaid debate! ***

Ten days ago, my third young adult novel released into the world. Forgive My Fins is about a half-mermaid princess who goes to high school on the mainland. In the general promotion hubub of the past few weeks, I've been doing a lot of online interviews for friends and review blogs. The one question that always surprises me the most is, "Why mermaids?" It's really hard not to reply back, "Why not mermaids?"

My love affair with mermaids began when I was eight years old and saw the movie Splash for the first time. From the moment Daryl Hannah swam into view, with her gorgeous blonde hair and magical, life-saving kiss, I was hooked. Right then and there I knew I wanted to become a mermaid. Sadly, the closest I ever got was a career as a competitive swimmer. I would spend hours in the pool every week, wishing my legs would magically turn into fins. It was that same fantasy that, nearly twenty years later, led me to the story idea for Forgive My Fins.

Now, I know why I love mermaids, but all those interview questions made me think about why we, as a culture, love mermaids. There have to be some common, unifying threads that make us fantasize about a life under the sea, right? I've finally come up with three things: freedom, mystery and magic.

Freedom...
In mermaid lore, they always seem to be a carefree sort of being, with few responsibilities or worries. They spend their days frolicking with their sealife friends and brushing their hair. When we're overwhelmed by errands and bills and play dates and deadlines and day jobs and planning dinner and who knows what else, it's easy to be envious of the beautiful, lithe creature whose greatest dilemma is whether to swim with dolphins or lure humans into the water.

Mystery...
We humans run rampant over our domain, the land, but when it comes to the ocean we are like the kid outside the candy store with our noses pressed up to the glass. Sure, we might get to go in every once in a while, but we'll never really know what it feels like to live there. Mermaids, on the other hand, can explore every square meter of the oceans, from the deepest, darkest trenches to clearest crystal beaches. We can never hope to understand or even see every mystery the ocean keeps.

Magic...
The very existence of a mermaid is a result of magic. No other means could create a being that is half fish and half human. So when we look at a mermaid, we see a creature born of magic, full of magic, and in possession of magic. Their ability to change forms, to shed their tailfin in favor of human legs, means they could be walking among us right now and we'd never know. Don't we all wish the reverse were also true, that, with a little dust of magic, we could shed our human legs and dive into the sea, breathe water, and swim ... everywhere?

So, how about you? Have you ever had the mermaid fantasy? Did you dream of swimming off into the sunset with a hunky merman? Or am I the only one who, still to this day, fantasizes about a magical mer kiss that will grant me the powers of the sea? It's okay, you can tell me.

To celebrate the doubled launch of the Supernatural Underground (aka the awesomeness that is this blog) and Forgive My Fins, I'm giving away a collection of my books. That's signed copies of Oh. My. Gods. and Goddess Boot Camp and the brand new Forgive My Fins!

69 comments:

I never really thought a lot about mermaids. I can't even think of a book I've read that's about them. I like the idea of them though. Makes me want to find some books about them and start reading!+1 follow us on twitter+1 follow this blogTotal 2chickenherder@hotmail.com

So what Melissa said - wanted to grow up and be a mermaid. Used to make up whole senarios on what I would do. I grew up in Queensland - Australia - home of the Great Barrier Reef - and I was so going to make my home in the coral with the fish :)

I do have a sort of love/hate relationship with mermaids. On the one hand, I can't help but be fascinated by the concept. I loved Splash, and I am not ashamed to admit that I knew every single line from Disney's The Little Mermaid. I've watched more than my fair share of mermaid movies, animes, and shows. I loved the glittery things in Hook.

But then, I'm also rather convinced that if I ever turned into a mermaid (or went deep sea diving and found one), I'd promptly get eaten by a shark.

I like your answer best, Tera! Why not mermaids? It brings to mind a gorgeous piece of art by the talented and amazingly awesome Stephanie Pui-Mun Law: Her Garden, by Stephanie Law

I agree with all your points Tera. Mermaids are so magical and just plain cool. And being able to swim around with all the colorful sea life and dolphins would be awesome. When I was a kid my brother and I were in the pool all the time; I'd pretend to be the mermaid and he was the shark. I would love to read your books. Happy Friday!

Mermaids...wow. Well since I am a Disney gal, I think of little mermaid, but because I am an avid reader and love mythology, I have come across a few tales where mermaids are evil vixens. Then it ties into Sirens, which is just weird since Sirens are creatures of mixed body parts. Bird like creatures with female heads and voices that lure sailors to their deaths!

Yeah, big on mythology and stuff like that. I can't remember much about mermaids and their mythological tales. Where they were seen as something other than Ariel. But I do love different variations of mermaids, whether they are evil or good or wishing to be human, I like mermaids.

I follow this blog.Posted on my blog about this blog: http://jessica-agreatread.blogspot.com

I love mermaids. When I was a little girl, I wanted to frow up to be Ariel from Disney 's Little Mermaid. I used to sing all the songs from the movie, and was even a mermaid for Halloween one year. Loved it!!

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I'm not entering in the contest because unfortunately I live in Scotland but I wanted to comment on this post anyways.

I used to really enjoy mermaid films when I was younger, same as Tera Lynn Childs I loved Splash. I'm sure there was a Splash 2 but I could be wrong. I also enjoyed watching The Little Mermaid (who doesn't?)

I think the idea of mermaids are great. There are so many mysteries surrounding them..how do they breathe? Does their skin go all wrinkly like us when we are in water too long? How do they get those sea shells to stay on? Hehe..okay seriously you have to wonder where they come from, their purpose (if they truly exist) and what magnificent secrets and hidden worlds are there down in the depths below. They get to explore all this and the can walk on earth. They are able to travel between the two worlds and experience everything.

Okay if I didn't wisht to be a mermaid before I begam this comment, I want to be one now. I want to be able to go visit the depths of the oceans without the restraints of having to surface for oxygen or having to worry about my internal organs exploding because of the pressure.

Thanks Tera for your post about mermaids. Has made me sit and think about all those dreams I used to have as a child - how I wish I could have my own flounder and visit the dolphins :)

I have 5 points I have done all the tasks. I saw the movie splash too but never read about them before and really looking forward to reading your books. With this site I have discovered a lot more incredible writers love love your blog!

I've never read or thought about reading a book about mermaids. And I never fantasized about being a mermaid because I'm terrified of the big blue sea. I'm actually a really good swimmer but the ocean scares the crap out of me. Too many unknowns. However, that being said I have read some good reviews for Forgive My Fins so I can't wait to get my hands on it.

As a summer baby, I love the water. More, I love the ocean, so reading about mermaids is glorified wishful thinking. How wonderful would it be to be able to go deep into the ocean and see all the beautiful life? To swim all day long and never get tired, or wrinkly or sleepy. Amazing really. I haven't read "Forgive My Fins" yet, but I have read others and can't wait to delve into Tera Child's world!

Oooh, this novel sounds terrific! I must admit, I fell in love with mermaids when I was five years old. I used to love to draw when I was little, and one day my kindergarten teacher told us all to draw pictures of things living in the sea. She actually took me aside and said "Kim, I know you like to draw people, but today we're drawing things that live in the sea." So I came back at her with, "Well, can I draw a mermaid?" So I did, and the obsession had begun!+1 comment+1 I'm a fan on facebook (as Kimberly Bea)+1 I follow on twitter (@KimBea)+1 I follow your blog.total entries = 4Thanks for the great giveaway!

Over the past year, I've read more books with mermaid characters than I remember ever reading before. It's a previously overlooked character-type for me and I'm glad that I'm fixing that. I don't know why I haven't read much mermaid stuff since The Little Mermaid is one of my favorite childhood films. I especially enjoyed Nicole Peeler's Tempest Rising and Kathryn Lasky's Hannah: Daughters of the Sea. I'm looking forward to reading your book too since I've heard nothing but good things about it around the blogosphere.

Mermaids were the first fictional characters I fell in love with. Disney's the Littler Mermaid was MY movie! It had me dreaming about and like you when I was in the water (unfortunately, it never happened otherwise I'd tell you exactly what to do!) and hoping for that transformation (even tried swimming like Ariel.) One of the first romance books I picked up was about mermaids and THAT is why I picked it up and devoured it. (it's also why Forgive my Fins is on my amazon wish list waiting for my credit card to go down so i can buy it! I was literally like 'squee! mermaid!!!!!' lol)

I've loved mermaids since I was a kid. My fav movies were The Little Mermaid and Splash. I even went as far as making my own mermaid fin when I was like 8. I've always wanted to read more stories on mermaids and Forgive My Fins sounds awesome!

Mermaids are one of the beings I haven't read a lot about. I've read about vampires, Weres, shapeshifters, all manner of supernatural beings via Jennifer Rardin, ghosts, and beings from mythology. But Mermaids I don't think I've read anything about.

Honestly the only mermaids that I have read about were in the Anita Blake series and they got a visit from the last Siren alive who has two sons that are half merman. I never really thought about it much. I do love The Little Mermaid though. I would am real interested in reading your books. Thanks!!

Thanks for this, Tera. In a world dominated by vampires and werewolves (which are excellent), it's nice to be reminded of the other cool creatures out there.

The Little Mermaid is STILL one of my favourite movies, and I think you're spot on with the three reasons people love mermaids.

The story (here in Australia) anyway is that mermaids came from sailors catching a glimpse of dugongs. Now, the tail is right (in fact dugongs are the only ones with the flat-on tail that mermaids have) but the rest of the animal is far from beautiful. Here, what do you think? http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2008/04/02/dugong_wideweb__470x307,0.jpg

I never wanted to be a mermaid, but I find mermaid art beautiful! With all the hair and colors. If I could live on land and sea then I would like to one. There was a series on Nickelodeon called H2O about three friends that were mermaids and they had to hide it . I bought Oh.My.Gods. yesterday and will let my daughter read it first since we have a10 hour drive to....Disney World tomorrow! And the Little Mermaid Show at Disney Studios is one of my favorite.

So great to read about someone else writing about mermaids!For me I think it's the magic & ability to live under the water (I'm a water baby from way back - also an Aussie). My mer world has been in my head for quite awhile (& Nicole Murphy I have dugongs too in my story). I love how other the world really and creating my underwater fantasy is so much fun.

I loved the movie splash...one of my all time favorites, who could denie Madison. The thought of seeing what the ocean hides is very tempting and there are alot of mysteries and legends about mermaids that are facinating. I don't know how hot the mermen are but I would be willing to take a plunge to find out. *grin*

Tera, I'm such a HUGE fan of ALL your books--You just keep getting better!!!!!!

I've always loved the idea of mermaids (I wanted to be one as a kid, too), but I think yours is the first book about mermaids that I can think of--and now it sounds like you might have started a trend!!!! I love Lily, she is such an awesome fun character--and I can't wait for more!!!

I've always loved mermaids but I never really thought much about them when it came to books. After finding one mermaid book in the YA section I searched endlessly for more. Alas, there are not quite as many as there are of other paranormal creatures and I was SO excited when I first heard about your new book!

When I was a kid, I used to swim underwater with my feet together because I wanted to be like Ariel from The Little Mermaid,lol.It was a fun fantasy but afterwards my eyes would sting from all the chlorine that seeped into my goggles :(Haven't read any books about mermaids since, so I look forward to this one! bells DOT franco AT gmail DOT com

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Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid" was always one of my favourite stories when as a child. When I was a little older I loved a book called "The Deep Sea Horse" by Cumming Primrose (I think) and also the mer-people in CS Lewis's narnaia books, most notably "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" so I would never ask, "Why Mermaids?" I look forward to reading the book.

I don't really know a lot about mermaids aside from Little Mermaid, which I love! I can't wait to read more about mermaids, they're quite... enchanting:) I loved Oh.My.Gods and I can't wait to read Goddess Boot Camp, thanks for this contest!

I've read a couple of mermaid series that I loved but this will be the first YA one. I've always thought mermaids were mystical and can't wait to see if they can hold their own with vamps and werewolves.

Hmmmmm Mermaids, I know I have read books that had mermaids in them, but it has been awhile. I remember when "The Little Mermaid" was popular. My daughter had her whole bedroom down around The Little Mermaid theme.

I'm ready to read about mermaids.

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I wanted to be Ariel from The Little Mermaid when I was growing up. I loved to sing (still do) so I thought she was beyond cool. I used to swim around the pool for hours singing all the songs from the movie :-)

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I'm a huge fan and have been following Tera Lynn Childs forever now it seems like on Facebook. I have 5 entries to enter for this contest. I'm working on building up my book club collection library for the next school year with my 7th and 8th graders. This would be a huge addition! :)

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I love mermaids and being from Florida, we have our own that grace the water ways around the state in the form of Manatees. :)

My only real mermaid experience was with Little Mermaid, who I thought was pretty cool, but I've always been Team Belle. Yet mermaids are quite fascinating... I recently read 'Sea' by Aimee Friedman and really enjoyed it.

Hi! Im Adriana. I haved loved mermaids ever scince I was little. I love reading and watching about them. I also loved the movie "Splash". Some other of my favorite mermaid shows are H2O Just Add Water on TeenNick, and "Mermaid Melody" a Japanease anime about mermaids that I reccomend to all mermaid lovers! I love all of your books! I read O.My.Gods, put Goddess Boot Camp on hold at my local library(as it has been on hold for me for like a year now,but do they care? No.) And I cant weait to read Forgive my Fins! I would buy them all at Barnes and Noble if I could, but my family's a little tight on money now(:(). Thank you and keep up the good work! :)

+1 Mermaids have always intrigued me. To be able to glide through the water, hang suspended , and just feel the currents swirl around you would be fantastic. The wonderful variety of sea life one could swim with would be such a gift. The freedom would be better than flying.